Key ring



March 17, 1959 (5. V. ANDERSON KEY RING Filed Feb. 1, 1957 N w mRw. NE 5 WA m m 50 F N A FIG. I

KEY RING Olof V. Anderson, Warwick, R. I., assignor to Anson, Inc., Providence, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application February 1, 1957, Serial No. 637,807

2 Claims. (Cl. 70-459) This invention relates to key rings and has particular reference to a two piece ring type.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a segmental, arcuate, channel member having an arcuate slide rod mounted therein and adjustable to permit the removal of keys from the ring at either end of the channel member. A locking member is pivotally mounted to the arcuate slide rod and is provided with means to engage one end of the segmental, arcuate, channel member.

Other objects of the present invention are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and convenience of operation, adaptability for use in carrying various types and sizes of keys, a pleasant appearing article of jewelry and a positive locking means between the sliding members to prevent inadvertent movement between the sliding members.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in part and be pointed out in part in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the new and improved key ring showing the locking member in locked position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the locking member in unlocked position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the arcuate sliding rod in position to permit keys to be placed on the segmental, arcuate, channel member.

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein reference character 10 generally indicates the new and improved key ring. Reference numeral 11 designates a segmental, arcuate U shaped in cross-section hollow shell of substantially 300 degrees in circumference, open at its opposite ends 12 and 14. A notch 15 is provided in the peripheral surface adjacent end 12.

The other member of the ring comprises an arcuate slide rod 16 having its axial diameter substantially equal to the axial diameter of shell 11. Rod 16 is of a gauge suitable for a sliding fit in shell 11 and is substantially circular as shown, so that, when it is in the position shown in Figure 1 it will overlap the end portions 12, 14 of shell 11, and will hug the walls of said shell. Arcuate rod 16 is provided with a notch 17 adjacent one end. A guiding area 18 which is part of the normal body contour of arcuate slide rod 16, extends from the edge of notch 17 to the end of arcuate slide rod 16. Arcuate slide rod 16 is of substantially 330 degrees in circumference having ends 20, 21 which define, a cut out or key receiving area. A groove 23 is provided in the periph- 2,877,640 C Patented Mar; 11, 1959 cry of arcuate slide rod 16 for purposes which will presently appear.

A locking member generally indicated at 19 comprising a segmental, U shaped in cross-sectional hollow shell 25 of approximately 60 degrees in circumference is pivotally mounted on. arcuate slide rod 16 by means of a pin or shaft 24. The end 26 of shell 25 engages and disengages the bottom of notch 17 as shell 25 is pivoted around pin 24. The notch 17 serves as a clearance for end 26 so that shell 25 may have pivotal movement. Shell 25 is provided with a projection or tongue 27 which engages and disengages notch 15 as shell 25 pivots on pin 24. When projection 27 engages notch 15, slide rod 16 is locked against sliding movement in shell 11. Shell 25 has the same arcuate radius as shell 11 so that in locked position shell 25 hugs sliding rod 16 as shown in Figure 7. Groove 23 is a clearance area beneath projection or tongue 27. Groove 23 merely permits tongue 27 to seat in notch 15 without hinderance from the periphery of slide rod 16.

Figure 1 shows sliding rod 16 locked in position within segmental, U shaped in cross-section hollow shell 11, with tongue 27 of locking member 19 engaging notch 15. In this condition key ring 10 would be supporting keys in a manner difiicult for the keys to be dislodged.

The first operation preparatory to removing a key from key ring 10 is to pivot locking member 19 on pin 24 with tongue 27 disengaging notch 15 as shown in Figure 3.

The second operation preparatory to placing a key on key ring 10 or for removing a key therefrom is to grip locking member 25 when in its raised position and pull. This action causes sliding rod 16 to revolve within segmental, inverted U shaped hollow shell to provide a gap between ends 12, 14 of shell 11 and ends 20, 21 of sliding rod 16, as shown in Figure 5. The action is reversed to achieve the position of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Having shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by way of example, it should be realized that structural changes could be made and other examples given without departing from either the spirit or scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A key ring comprising a segmental, U shaped in cross-section hollow shell of substantially 300 degrees in circumference and open at its opposite ends, a key receiving opening between said opposite ends, a notch provided in the peripheral surface adjacent one end, an arcuate slide rod of 330 degrees in circumference and open at its opposite ends to provide a second key receiving opening and having an axial diameter substantially equal to the axial diameter of said shell, said slide rod having a gauge suitable to provide a sliding fit within said shell, said slide rod closing said key receiving opening in said shell in one position and opening said key receiving opening in another position when said second key receiving opening is in cooperative alignment with said first mentioned key receiving opening, a notch in said slide rod adjacent one end, a locking member consisting of a segmental, U shaped in cross-section hollowshell of approximately 60 degrees in circumference piv otally mounted to said slide rod, said locking member having two opposite ends which in locked position lay between the opposite ends of said hollow shell, a tongue formed in one end of said locking member, said. tongue engaging and disengaging said notch to lock said slide rod in position to block said key receiving' opening in said first mentioned shell and to unlock said" slide rod to permit said second key receiving opening: to align with said first mentioned key receiving opening to provide a key receiving opening in said key ring.

2. A key ring comprising a segmental U shaped in cross-section hollow shell providing an opening between i its opposite ends, an arcuate slide rod having an axial diameter substantially equal to the axial diameter of said hollow shell and of a gaug'e'to provide a sliding movement within said hollow shell to block and unblock said opening, a segmental U shaped in cross-section hollow shell locking member pivotally mounted to said arcuate slide rod and located in said opening between said opposite ends in locked position, said arcuate slide rod substantially fitting within said U shaped in cross-section hollow shell locking member in locked position of said locking member when said arcuate slide rod is in posi- 4 tion blocking said opening, and a tongue and groove connection between said locking member and said first mentioned hollow shell to hold said arcuate slide rod in blocked position within said'first mentioned hollow shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,365,911 Goozey Ian. 18, 1921 1,386,746 Wachenheimer Aug. 9, 1921 2,222,053 Waller Nov. 19, 1940 2,283,983 Gibson May 26, 1942 

